Arnold does the right thing for the wrong reason
By Doug Patton
web posted October 3, 2005
History records that as Benjamin Franklin emerged with his
colleagues from Constitution Hall in Philadelphia, a curious
woman asked, "Dr. Franklin, what have you given us?"
Franklin's reply: "A republic, madam, if you can keep it."
A republic. Not a theocracy or a dictatorship. And certainly not
a democracy. Unfortunately, some of the best educated among
us call our system exactly that — a democracy. It is no such
thing.
Apparently, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger failed
to consult his Webster's Dictionary for the following definition of
a republic: "A state in which the sovereign power resides in a
certain body of the people (the electorate) and is exercised by
representatives elected by, and responsible to, them."
The governor seems confused about the role of the different
branches of government, as evidenced by his stated reason for
exercising his executive authority to veto the ill-conceived same-
sex marriage bill passed by the leftist zealots in the California
General Assembly. Schwarzenegger said the issue was not for
the legislature to decide, but rather was a matter "for the people
and the courts to decide."
No, it is not. And even though state government is not federal
government, and California voters have a voice in public policy
through their referendum process, there simply cannot be a
public vote on every issue. Furthermore, the judicial branch
certainly is not the place for these kinds of decisions. Such
tangled litigation is at the root of far too many bitter court battles,
which are tearing our nation's fabric to shreds.
No, it is for moments like this that "we, the people," elect
legislators. And when legislatures cannot or will not do the right
thing, the people expect their chief executives to do what they
were elected to do.
Pure democracy was rejected by Franklin and the others
because it was rightly viewed as the path to anarchy or tyranny.
The Founders saw the folly of allowing the people to vote on
virtually everything. Instead, they wisely instituted a system
whereby the people would elect legislative representatives and a
chief executive to serve as a check and balance on those
legislators' powers. These officials would hold their jobs as long
as the voters believed they were serving the public good.
Arnold Schwarzenegger is a major celebrity and imposing public
figure who can command enormous press coverage when he
wants it. Imagine how inspired most Californians would feel if he
were to call a prime time press conference to say something like
this:
"I am vetoing this bill for three reasons. First, the people of this
state elected me to exercise common sense about what is the
best public policy for California. I have done so here to the best
of my ability because I believe the institution of marriage is the
bedrock of society. It is in society's best interest to nurture and
encourage marriage, not to mock it, as the California Assembly
has done by sending this legislation to my desk.
"Second, the people of California have made it abundantly clear
that they agree with the traditional definition of marriage and do
not want to see it altered.
"Finally, as Harry Truman used to say, ‘the buck stops here.' It
should not be the responsibility of the people, through the ballot
process, to have to police the actions of their legislatures and
their courts. And it should not be the province of the judiciary to
decree how we, the people, define ourselves and our institutions.
Some things do not need to be redefined. Marriage is one of
those things. Any questions?"
Gov. Schwarzenegger should be praised for doing the right thing,
but he is doing it for the wrong reasons.
Doug Patton is a freelance columnist who has served as a
political speechwriter and policy advisor for federal, state and
local candidates, elected officials and public policy organizations.
His weekly column can be read in newspapers across the
country and on selected Internet web sites, including
www.TheConservativeVoice.com and www.GOPUSA.com,
where he also serves as the Nebraska editor. Readers can write
him at dpatton@neonramp.com.
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